04-09-2015, 04:43 AM
This interesting webpage illustrates the evolution of milling in antiquity, from the early querns to developed watermills. The second picture, "2- il tipo ROTATIVO BASSO - le type ROTATIF BAS", shows a photo of a rotary handmill in Morrocco.
What is intriguing is the mechanism with which it is driven. By pushing and pulling the suspended rod from the ceiling, the mill rotates, grinding the cereals. The accompanying text identifies this type as Cato the Elder's mola hispaniensis, but Cato does not mention the suspension in the cited passage (X.4). Nor am I aware of any other ancient evidence for this operating method. You?
What is intriguing is the mechanism with which it is driven. By pushing and pulling the suspended rod from the ceiling, the mill rotates, grinding the cereals. The accompanying text identifies this type as Cato the Elder's mola hispaniensis, but Cato does not mention the suspension in the cited passage (X.4). Nor am I aware of any other ancient evidence for this operating method. You?